Mexico weekly ledger., 1887-07-21
TEXAS FEVER.
Another Communication from State
Veterinarian Paquin on the
Subject.

Subject.
To the Editor OF the Ledger.
CoLuMBIA, Mo-, July Al notice
to-day letter in your issue of the
9th inst, from Rush Hill cores
pondent, implying that I vas per-
haps mistaken in my diagnosis Of the
cattle disease there and saying that
I denied the existence of 'sTexas
Fever" 1 beg to say, sir, that his
criticism may do me harm, from the
fact il may create wrong impress
sion in the minds OF the people in
terested and abroad. 1t is based |
simply on misunderstanding of the
case. I never denied the existence
of Texas fever / said, however,
that it was form of ssSplenic Fever"
and l say so now. II your cores
pondent will please remember that
Texas fever is Splenic fever, he will
know. whether he will acknowledge
it or not, that 1 spoke with full
knowledge Of cause.
did not want to spread the idea
that the disease was due 10 Texas
cattle, because I understood that the
foreign cattle in the neighborhood
were natives of Nebraska, where the
disease is not indigenous, and came
to Missouri in the winter, when, if is
generally understood, the germs of
the disease do not live or spread.
I had, therefore, to find more about
the history of the cattle in question,
SO that I might be enabled to trace
the malady to its very source and
then enforce quarantine wherever
necessary.
Every word 1 wrote and spoke on
the subject known to be true. /
never speak at random on subjects of
public moment. / trust that my
humble labors will be at least treat
ed with justice. All that could pos
sibly be done under the circumstances
has been done; and until ! could
ascertain how the germs of the dis
ease were brought to the infectious
pasture / had to remain silent on
this point. / said the disease would
not spread through the air, and / re-
peat it. I SAID it might start at other
places, where germs were carried or
gained access by some means, and /
say SO now. The disease will not
spread so far as known through any
other channel than those all eady ex-
plained sometime ago, viz: infected
pastures, water, etc.
When and where it may break out
is not always easy to tell, for we can
not always tell what pastures or
places ere infected. But what is the
use of wrangling over the names of
the anthrax fevers of the various
forms? The chief foundation of
your correspondents letter, Mr..
Editor, is in false Interpretation Of
the name which signifies really moth
ing in many instances. Here are
examples: Last year the very iden-
tIcal disease broke out among Mr..
Scroggins' cattle at Farber, Mo.
Many died. Investigation failed to
reveal the source of the infected
farms. No foreign cattle, I was as
sured, had been brought in the
neighborhood. What was the dis
ease? Splenic fever. Not long ago
the very same malady broke out near
Centralia, Mo-, where lot of Texas
cattle are pasturing. What did
diagnose? Splenic fever. Now the
malsdy broke out at Rush Hill, Mo-,
where Arkansas cattle are pasturing
What is the disease? Splenic fever,
The general term for all and many
other forms of the malady is anthax,
Now, if 1t suits the taste of the peo
pie better, call it "Trembles," OF
sTexas fever,' "Putrid fever" Of
"Splenetica," ETC., all of which have
been used. Or in this case you may
even call it Arkansas fever" since
Arkansas cattle have probably dis.
siminated its germs.
|, So far as am concerned Off cially
, I have done and will do my duty ac-
> cordlng to the nature Of the viruleni
diseases found by me and not nc
cording to the oft capricious and in
! significant nomenclature.
BY quiet Investigation, although
extremely busy, have traced the na
, tivity of the cattle that were on Mr
Downs place, and / now feel NOR,
satisfied as to the primary source o
the affection; but please remembei
my diagnosis is not in the lesas
, changed, nor my course be on a dif
, ferent basis.
a Your humble rvant,
I PAUL PAouIN